Summary writing EXERCISE 1

Write the summary of the following passage. It has 177 words. Your summary’s word count must not exceed 60 words.

Munshi Khairat Ali Khan was the inspector of Sanitation and hundreds of sweeper women depended on him. He was good-hearted and well thought of–not the sort who cut their pay, scolded them or fined them. But he went on regularly rebuking and punishing Alarakkhi. She was not a shirker, nor saucy or slovenly; she was also not at all bad-looking. During these chilly days she would be out with her broom before it was light and go on assiduously sweeping the road until nine. But all the same, she would be penalized. Huseni, her husband, would help her with the work too when he found the chance, but it was in Alarakkhi’s fate that she was going to be fined. For others pay-day was an occasion to celebrate, for Alarakkhi it was a time to weep. On that day it was as though her heart had broken. Who could tell how much would be deducted! Like students awaiting the results of their examinations, over and over again she would speculate on the amount of the deduction.

[ANSWER WILL BE POSTED SOON.]

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Model answer …

The good-natured Sanitation Inspector Munshi Khairiat Ali Khan oversaw the work of many workers, seldom punishing them for lapses. Intriguingly, he fined the dutiful Alarakkhi for no apparent reason. She was never lax in her work. The pay day brought distress to Alarakkhi as fines imposed on her for dereliction of duty reduced her earnings. The Inspector inflicted this pain. [60 WORDS]

Alternate answer …

The good-natured Sanitation Inspector Munshi Khairiat Ali Khan oversaw the work of many workers, seldom punishing them for lapses. Intriguingly, he fined the dutiful Alarakkhi for no apparent reason. She, often helped by her husband Huseni, did her work sincerely. Sadly, she couldn’t get her due salary because of un-explained fines imposed by the Inspector. The paydays made her nervous.

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